IG Farben

[Terrance]

More from Spencer:

Pynchon's representation of IG adheres to the historical
view that combine's power was based on the bypassing of
national politics and the stimulation of military activity. 

Spencer provides a brief historical account of how IG and
its affiliates bypassed political boundaries and alliances
to establish a transnational power structure that included
Standard Oil and ICI etc. 

And he says, However, Pynchon especially emphasizes the
post-war reconfiguration of these elements...where
technological domination, as mobilized by the increasingly
autonomous multinationals and supra-military, has broken the
efficacy of national politics even in peacetime. 

The clearest example of this is not Germany or even Europe,
but Japan. Remember, that immediately after the war the
"allies" are now out of the theatre and into the theater.
The U.S. quickly abandons its policy of anti-monopoly break
ups, the breaking up of large companies and cartels was not
followed through in Japan or in Europe.   Cold War, "Self
Defense Forces" "The Dodge Plan", etc., the prime mover was
more concerned with greater production by existing companies
and structures. Rather than ensuring a competitive market by
breaking up big companies, the goal was to strengthen
productive capacity quickly. The goal was met, the Cold War
was set, the oil would flow, the hot conflicts, Korea, SE
Asia would depend upon the strengthened structures of
manufacturing, technology,  US/UN bases, and oil in the
Theater. 

"Practical men are usually the slaves of some defunct
economist." --John Maynard Keynes